Should This Lake Exist?

How was the Salton Sea accidentally formed?

• A massive earthquake caused a new basin to fill with water.

• Melting glaciers from nearby mountains created a large lake.

• The Colorado River flooded a low-lying plain for two years.

• A large meteor strike created a crater that filled with water.

What geological feature is found near the Salton Sea due to the area's tectonic activity?

• Geysers that shoot hot water high into the air.

• Hot springs that create warm pools.

• Mud volcanoes that bubble and erupt mud.

• Active volcanoes that erupt lava.

Why has the Salton Sea become increasingly salty over time?

• Ocean water from the Pacific flows into the lake.

• Heavy rainfall brings salt from surrounding mountains.

• Agricultural runoff brings salt, and water evaporates without an outflow.

• Underground salt mines are dissolving into the lake.

What is a significant environmental consequence of the Salton Sea's increasing salinity?

• A boom in the population of various fish species.

• The water becoming clearer and more suitable for swimming.

• Massive die-offs of fish and harmful algal blooms.

• The growth of new, unique plant life around the shores.